The Olevia 747i TV is a perfect example of how novel technologies can benefit from the lessons of the past. Company execs tapped analog-era video techs — and their focus on physical engineering rather than software — to help guide the whiz-kid engineers designing this set. Choose the best-looking panel, the vets recommended, instead of the least expensive. Good idea: Because the LCD doesn't need much labor-intensive color correcting, the thing actually ends up costing less than if the engineers had gone the "cheaper" route. They also advised fitting a pane of antireflective glass to block the stray photons emitted by inactive pixels; that netted a clearer image with deeper blacks. Of course, the young guys got to flex as well, which is why the 747i works as a plug-and-play computer monitor. Perfect for relegating your inbox to picture-in-picture while watching football in 47-inches of HD glory.
$2,499, olevia.com
